BEIJING, July 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Participants in the World Chinese Conference have reached consensuses for the shared goal of developing the world's diversified culture and building a harmonious world, Zhou Ji, director of the State Leading Group for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, said here Friday at the closing function of the World Chinese Conference.

    The two-day conference attracted nearly 600 government officials, sinologists and Chinese teachers from 67 countries and regions to discuss the current situation and prospect of the Chinese teaching overseas, with the theme of "The Development of Chinese in a Multi-cultural World".

    Developing foreign language teaching worldwide is required to protect the diversified cultures of human beings. It is also of great significance to boosting dialogue and communication among different civilizations, thus pushing forward a multi-cultural world.

    Zhou said, "We all believe that to educate people in foreign languages is conducive to maintaining world peace, since language is the best and most crucial tool to help strengthen mutual understanding among people. Foreign language study can also help people enhance mutual respect".

    Zhou, also the Chinese Minister of Education, pointed out that a nation should on one hand develop foreign language study, and onthe other hand help others learn its own language. "This is a shared duty and interest common for us all, since each nationality is willing to be better understood by others."     Enditem